TAMPA, Fla. – Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ 2nd-year defensive tackle thought he loved football. But having to sit out games last season with a calf injury made him realize what a gift it is to start in the NFL, and now he has a new outlook on football.
“It helped me learn my body and it helped me just not take this for granted because it can be (taken) away from you very fast,” Kancey said as offseason workouts have begun.
“It just made me love the game even more.”
That’s got to be music to Bucs head coach Todd Bowles ears. Bowles is also the defensive coordinator and knew Kancey had the physical ability to play and contribute right away but says it takes all rookies a little while to get adjusted. Kancey feels he’s ready for that next step this season.
“Justin being able to get a full year of experience in the NFL and seeing where I was in college and where I’m at now,” Kancey said. “Leaving from college’ always knew I was the guy. Now I’m in the NFL, and there’s a lot of those guys. It’s just really finding a way every day to do better.”
Kancey feels for those college prospects worrying about the NFL Draft and where they will be playing, moving to, and trying to fit in as they embark on their NFL careers. The former Pitt star remembers last year at this time.
“I mean I met with the Bucs at the combine, but other than that I hadn’t talked to them,” Kancey said. “I asked my agent, hey man, why doesn’t nobody want to have me in for a ( top)30 visit? Like what’s goin on? I was really stressed out.
But in the end, it all worked out. Kancey was the 19th overall pick, and after getting through his calf injury early in the season, he learned the ropes and finished with a decent year: four sacks in the regular season and 1.5 sacks in the postseason.
“My biggest goal this offseason, honestly is just to go back and look at everything where I could have been better.”
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Kancey says the Bucs feel they could have gone further with just a couple more plays. He gives the Lions and Quarterback Jared Goff credit even though Kancey had success against Goff.
“He’s (Goff) smart,” Kancey said. “He has a good feel for pressure. There were times when he got the ball out and I was mad because I should have gotten him.”
Kancey has been traveling quite a bit since the season ended. Now he said he’s full go on working out which will include some beach workouts in South Florida.
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